‘By intercepting the fleet today at a distance of 250 nautical miles and within the SAR zone of Cyprus, the Israeli regime continues to demonstrate systematic contempt for international maritime law, freedom of navigation on the high seas and the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS),’ the party said in a statement.
New Left called for a protest rally at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Athens at 6pm on Monday 18 May, demanding the immediate protection of the members of the mission.
The party’s statement reads:
‘The Global Sumud Flotilla is currently surrounded and under active interception by Israeli warships in international waters, approximately 250 nautical miles off the coast of Gaza. This military encirclement marks the beginning of yet another illegal offensive on the high seas, four days after 54 civilian vessels set sail from Marmaris with the aim of creating a humanitarian corridor and breaking Israel’s illegal siege of Gaza. A pattern of extrajudicial piracy on the high seas.
‘This active naval confrontation is a direct follow-up to the illegal Israeli military offensive that began just two weeks ago, off the coast of Crete. During the previous interception, which took place over 650 nautical miles from Gaza, within the Greek search and rescue (SAR) zone, Israeli military forces illegally boarded, sabotaged and abducted 181 peaceful human rights defenders on 21 civilian vessels, subjecting the participants to documented detention as well as physical and sexual violence.
‘By intercepting the fleet today at a distance of 250 nautical miles and within the SAR zone of Cyprus, the Israeli regime continues to demonstrate systematic disregard for international maritime law, freedom of navigation on the high seas and the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS).
‘This military interception follows a week-long coordinated propaganda campaign broadcast by the Israeli regime’s state media, including N12, and reinforced by their self-proclaimed “propaganda yacht”, filled with influencers spreading the Israeli regime’s lies. This established script seeks to build consensus for the commission of war crimes and crimes against humanity against an unarmed, non-violent civil society mission consisting of doctors, journalists and humanitarians.
‘The Global Sumud Flotilla legal team has officially informed the international community that the participants are completely unarmed and that any violence committed on these vessels remains the sole legal responsibility of the Israeli regime and the country’s leaders who allow it to occur. Active criminal investigations are under way in 20 countries, while individual responsibility will be sought in international courts for all forces enforcing this genocidal siege.
‘New Left calls today, Monday 18 May, at 6pm, for a protest rally at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, demanding the immediate protection of the members of the Global Sumud Flotilla, an end to the illegal interception by the Israeli navy and the cessation of any Greek complicity in the genocide of the Palestinian people.’
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